Solemnity of Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“The Angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
Today we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior, under the title of the “Immaculate Conception” that acknowledges that grace filled her soul from the moment of her conception, preserving her from the stain of sin. Though this truth had been held for centuries among the Catholic faithful, it was solemnly declared as a dogma of faith on Dec. 8, 1854, by Pope Pius IX. In the first reading from Genesis: Adam admits to eating from the forbidden Tree, the fruit the woman gave him after being tricked by the Serpent. God separates the serpent from all other animals and wild creatures and puts enmity between it and the woman.
In the same way briefly, St Paul writes to the Ephesians telling them that all are adopted children of God through Jesus Christ.
Continuing, I would like us to reflect on the sermon of St Anselm; he says: “Through the fullness of the grace that was given you, dead things rejoice in their freedom and those in heaven are glad to be made new... God, then is the Father of the created world and Mary the Mother of the re-created world. God is the Father by whom all things were given life and Mary the Mother through whom all things were given new life. For God begot the Son, through whom all things were made and Mary gave birth to Him as the Savior of the world. Without God’s Son nothing could exist; without Mary’s Son nothing could be redeemed.Truly the Lord is with you to whom the Lord granted that all nature should owe as much to you as to Himself”(From a sermon by Saint Anselm, Bishop).
Have a Blessed Feast. Say the Hail Mary. Fr. Mussie